Problem Solving: Whipping a Small Amount of Egg Whites

Often we have a recipe, like our Fluffy Ricotta Pancakes, that calls for whipping three egg whites. Depending on the depth of your mixing bowl (ours is the classic KitchenAid), the whisk attachment may not reach far enough to start frothing a small amount of whites…

Eventually, you’ll get there. The attachment will catch enough of the whites to get them “foamy,” the volume will increase, and then the mixer can do its job, picking up the whites and whipping air into them.

But it can take a lot longer than you might anticipate. So we occasionally get things started with some hands-on whisking. We’re not up for doing all the work, but giving the whites a quick, energetic beating with a manual whisk speeds things up — and then the mixer can take over.

Does this sound familiar to anyone? Any more tips on beating egg whites?